which of the Kings sworn subjects have minded the Spirit of truth when they took those oaths By their so swearing have they not done that which comes of evil or of the Devil the evil one Is not this rare quaking-stuff according to this Quakers false doctrine it is altogether unlawful for any of the Kings subjects to swear subjection to him any more lest they fall into condemnation as for any oaths which are truly lawful they are so condemned by this Quaker as that there is no Scripture-warrant for them in this day to plead Scripture for those oaths that are in truth righteousness and judgment it 's like using an old Almanack out of date it may well be said To what end did St. Paul tell the Christian Hebrews of God swearing by himself and that an oath is to put an end to all strife for had this Quaker been in St. Pauls time he would have catechized him otherwise that he did not understand the Scriptures that St. Paul had taught other doctrine than the Lord Jesus had done for he faith Swear not at all but let your yea be yea That solemn oaths are as bad now as vain oaths That swearing was lawful under the old dispensation but unlawful now Then St. Paul might have known this new-light-doctrine That Christ ended the dispensation of oaths where strife was If all this be not ungrounded abominable doctrine delivered by this Quaker then let wise unbiassed Readers judg Q. p. 50 51. Q. Numb 52 Ch. Father inform me concerning the observation of days as holy-days and Sunday which some call sabbath-Sabbath-day and some the Lords-day and whether the Lord requires that I should observe them Fa. If thou observest a day observe it to the Lord but he requires not the observing of particular days for the Seventh day was holy in which he rested from all his works and that was the Jews Sabbath and they observed it to the Lord as he commanded but Christ Jesus hath fulfilled it and ended it and those called Holy-days are set up in the Apostacy in which the Saints have been killed and martyred upon which days the Apostles rejoyced and feasted and they are called Festival days and thou art to abominate the observing of them because they were set up in the blood-thirsty spirit and for that called the Lords-day or sabbath-Sabbath-day people do not understand what they say for the Sabbath is the Seventh day and the observing of that is ended in Christ and that called the Lords-day is the first day of the week and the name Sunday is from the heathens who celebrated that day to the Sun and so called it Sunday but Child every day is the Lords day and thou art to observe them all unto him and who come to Christ and believe in Christ come over the observation of days into the one day of the Lord which is as a thousand years Pr. Pr. In this Quakers long discourse the set-time for Gods publick Worship is run down at an ignorant rate from observing a day to the Lord it 's ignorantly asserted That God requires not the observing of particular days when the King and Parliament made the last Act for the better observation of the Lords-day then according to this Quaker they did nothing but make a Law to establish Will-worship for as this Quaker saith the Lord requireth not the observing of any particular days it 's here confest notwithstanding what was said by this Quaker to the contrary that the Seventh day was the Jews Sabbath-day as the Lord commanded behold here was a particular day required by God to be observed by the Jews behold again how this Quakers spirit hath inspired him to write a contradiction but as for us Christians under the Gospel there is no particular day to be observed to the Lord there are no Holy-days owned by this Quaker these days are like so many brats of Babylon rejected by him these days he saith were set up in the Apostacy at that time when the Saints were killed and martyred doth not this Quakers ignorance in effect count all Holy-days to be Apostatical days Are not these the Festival days which his Child is instructed to abominate the observing of What is more plain from these Quakers words than this That Holy-days observed by the Reformed Churches abroad and the Church of England at home are abominable days not fit to be observed But why are Holy-days to be abominated This Quaker gives this reason Because they were set in the blood-thirsty spirit it 's hard to understand the meaning of these words however we have no Holy-days which this Church observes but such as were at first set up by a blood-thirsty spirit surely if this Quaker had lived in those days of old he would have faln as strangely foul upon the Jews Feast of Purim as being from another blood-thirsty spirit but this Quakers aking-tooth is at the Lords-day or Sabbath-day in this matter the Prophane and the Quakers are well agreed they do neither of them make conscience to observe this day to the Lord for that called the Lords-day or Sabbath-day this Quaker saith that the people do not well understand what they say to speak according to this Quakers own words both King and Parliament were faln low in their understandings when they made an act for the better observation of the Lords-day in their debates they said they knew not what who named it either Sunday Lords-day or Sabbath-day had this Quaker been consulted they might have known thus much that the seventh-day-Sabbath is ended in Christ that the Lords-day is the first day of the week that Sunday is from the Heathens but in truth every day is the Lords-day so that to declare this Quakers mind truly there is indeed no such day as the Lords-day to be observed by any Christians for every day of the week is to be observed as the Lords-day and this is not this Quakers single opinion for he saith that they who come to Christ and believe in Christ do which is strange come over the observation of days is not this Quakers meaning this That all real Quakers do neither observe Holy-days nor the Lords-day not Holy-days as this Church appoints nor the first day of the week as being the Lords-day which is their degenerating from the practice of the Primitive Christians to say no worse of them but whither do the Quakers come when they are gotten over the observation of days for my part I cannot tell this Quaker is of age let him speak for himself who saith that they come into the one day of the Lord which is as a thousand years and here I leave him I Shall transcribe no more out of him but proceed to some of James Parnel's Pamphlets the Book which is made use of is called Q. A Collection of the several writings given forth from the spirit of the Lord through the servant of God James Parnel who bore a faithful testimony for God and died a Prisoner
except a Quaker none can how are the youth of this Kingdom instructed by this Catechizing-Primer to slight all Gods Ambassadors Pudet haec opprobria dici it is a shame of no mean size that such base things should be printed and not signally taken notice of Q. p. 10. Q. Numb 38 Child But are not the Scriptures given forth for a rule to walk by Fath. The Scriptures are a true testimony of what the Saints were made witnesses of but the spirit is the rule the rule unto them that gave forth the Scriptures Pr. Pr. Here the youth of this Nation are taught by this Quaking-father that the Scriptures are not the rule of faith and obedience according to this Quakers vain mind no children shall do well to take heed to the sure word of Prophesie Unto the Law and the Testimony is no rule for any children to walk by the spirit that doth infatuate the Quakers is the foolish guide whom this Quaking-father would have his child to follow is it not lamentable that the youth of this Kingdom together with those who are children in understanding are thus decoyed into the Devils net Q. p. 12. Q. Numb 39 Ch. Then I perceive it is the spirit alone that I am to mind in all things Fath. Yes child for by minding the spirit alone in all things thou wilt come to a good understanding in all things and be able to put a difference betwixt that which is true and that which is false Pr. Pr. Here we have this Quaking-father Catechizing his child so as to undermine the Scriptures to render them good for nothing for he saith the spirit alone is to be minded in all things therefore the Scriptures to speak like this Quaker are to be minded by children or others in nothing observe it well it 's not the Scripture but minding the spirit alone in all things that helps to a good understanding in all things it 's not the Scripture but minding the spirit alone in all things that enables to discern and put a difference betwixt true and false it 's now obvious that the Scripture is basely bespattered by this Quaking-father for there is no coming to a good understanding by minding the Scripture in any thing the Scripture to speak this Quakers mind hath no true light to help any to discern and put a difference betwixt that which is true and that which is false the Quakers ill spirit is to be minded in all things this alone is the true discerner betwixt truth and falshood but pity those poor children that have no better guide to follow Q. p. 33. Q. Numb 40 Ch. Why is not their time and place and person right seeing their time is upon that day called Sunday and their place that which is called a Church and the persons such as are counted the Ministers of Christ Fath. Nay the Lord God of Power is not limited by any of them and as for their Sunday the Heathen named it and the Pope named their Church and their Schools and Colledges made their Ministers Pr. Pr. In these lines this Quaker doth Catechistically teach his child to look upon time place persons necessary circumstances belonging to publick Worship as those that are Heathenish Popish and of mans making the whole Quaking-discourse is a base charge drawn up against the Church of England as if the Lord of Power were limited by the same as for the Lords-day this Quaker calls it our Sunday which the Heathen named as for the publick place where the members of this visible Church do meet to worship God in a material Church this he saith was made by the Pope as for the persons the Ministers of Gods Word he gives us to understand that they are none of them sent of God for our Schools and Colledges made them all do not these Quaking-lines eat like a canker is not the Church of England debased after a strange manner Q. p. eâd. Ch. Q. Numb 41 But do they not preach sound Doctrine Fath. Nay their Doctrine is after the tradition of men and not after Christ and they get their Doctrine by their arts and languages that they have learned at Schools and Colledges and then they read it or speak it forth in their own wills that are corrupted and there is no soundness in it Pr. Pr. According to the instruction of this Quaking-father all the Preachers of the Gospel within the Church and Kingdom of England are a sort of pitiful fellows for their Doctrine is not from Heaven like the old Pharisees they teach for Doctrine the tradition of men none of them do teach that Doctrine which is after Christ arts and languages learnt here below at Schools and Colledges is the whole skill which they have in the doctrine of Salvation they are all a sort of pitiful readers or speakers out of their own corrupt wills as for their Doctrine it is corrupt like themselves there is no soundness in it to speak after this Quaking-rate they are like so many corrupt trees they bring forth corrupt fruit they are all bad stewards of the Mysteries of the Gospel If this be not base railing let the world judg Q. p. 34 35. Q. Numb 42 Ch. But is not their praying a service which is accepted of God Fath. Nay for they pray not with the spirit nor with the understanding and some of them cannot pray at all but as they have prayers made by others and have them set in a book to read as in the Common-prayer-book so that neither their preaching nor praying is accepted of God Pr. Pr. From this Quaking Catechizer we may truly gather that the preaching and praying of all the Ministers of the Church of England is altogether naught as their Preaching so their Praying is a service which is not accepted of God their prayers are carnal for they pray not with the spirit tremulo judice in their praying they do but offer the sacrifice of fools for they pray not with the understanding as for those ministring Priests that do warrantably use the Common-prayer-book either in the Kings-Chappel or elsewhere to speak this Quakers mind or sense they are a company of dull Ignoramusses they cannot pray at all behold a sad case except it be in the Quakers dumb meeting or amongst those that are acted by the spirit of the Hat there is no calling on the name of God in faith any where besides according to this Quaking rant is not the Kings Majesty basely reflected on hath he not a dull Clergy to minister in his Presence is not this Church whereof he is a nursing-father in a bad case for neither the Preaching nor praying of her Priests this Quaker saith is accepted of God surely the true Christian Religion is at a low ebb in this Kingdom that Quakerism must thus carry the bell according to this vain-minded Quaker we are in a great strait we must now either all turn Quakers or else in Preaching and Praying we do but perform the
believe That the Bishops in the late Kings time were persecutors that that generation was pulled up in the Lords anger that the powers that supported them were swept away in the Lords sore displeasure that the Lord was terrible to the men of high stature that the Lord did break in upon them with a furious blow of horrour and amazement that he smote with an incurable wound the Bishops and their King and their Nobles and their mighty men of war their Captains and Councellors their Priests and their Officers and their whole strength that the Lord left the name of Bishops King Nobles mighty men Captains Counsellors Priests Officers to be an astonishment and a wonder and a curse unto posterity See Numb 113. ARTICLE XCIV We Q. do believe That Oliver Cromwell was the man who did bear as on a common shoulder the sufferings of the oppressed for conscience sake who with himself were appointed to the same destruction that their sufferings went to his heart that he had a fellow-feeling of them on his own shoulder that he could have laid down his life for one of those sufferers that his heart was then very tender that his bowels did sound for them that the hearts of all his fellow-sufferers flowed in to him that in them and him there was but one spirit and one heart that for this cause the Lord did call Oliver Cromwell and raise him up to head the Lords armies that this Oliver Cromwell was made the Lords sword that the Lord did by him execute his vengeance on those generations See Numb 114. ARTICLE XCV We Q. do believe That the Puritans were great sufferers under the Bishops that Charles Stuart was inexcusable touching their sufferings for not remedying them according to his power that the disaffection of great men and Nobles and Rulers and Bishops and Priests to that way of the Puritans did not keep them from the judgment of God that the judgment of God hath taken hold of Charles Stuart and his Children and his party and hath made him his Children and party a dreadful example of the Lords vengeance and that this judgment was executed on the late King his Children and party by Oliver Cromwell's sword as an instrument See Numb 115. ARTICLE XCVI We Q. do believe That Oliver Cromwell was the Lords battel-axe and his weapon of war to the cutting down of the late King See Numb 116. ARTICLE XCVII We Q. do believe as our friend Nicholas Knight hath written That all the Teachers of England whether they are Episcopal or Presbyterian or Independent are false Ministers no true teachers who are not sent who have no commission from God who go forth in their own names only in the will of man that they are no Ministers of Christ that their doctrine is false and traditional that it is not from heaven but men below that they do teach for doctrine the traditions of men that they are the false teachers that they preach a divination of their own brains that they come not in at the door that they climb up another way that they speak in the wisdom of mens words that they are men-pleasers by feigned words that they are deceivers that they are seekers of their own praise that they seek more the fleece than the flock that they preach for hire and divine for money that for a pretence they make long prayers like the Scribes and Pharisees and devour widows houses that they say and do not that they limit the Church of Christ to a Nation that they are blind leaders of the blind that they do hold the truth in hypocrisie and unrighteousness that they hate to be reformed that they have a form of godliness and deny the power that they are deceivers and being deceived cause the name of God to be blasphemed and evil spoken of that they do observe months and days and consecrated places that their preaching is limited to days hours hour-glasses to the wills of men to outward observations traditions and ceremonies that these trees may be known by their fruits that out of the evil treasure of their hearts they bring forth evil things that they are an ill savour that they are Clouds which hold no water that they are sounding brass and tinkling cymbals that they do not profit the people that they are too light in the balances of the Sanctuary that they do neither believe nor understand what they preach that they have no experience of the word of life that like those silly women they are ever learning but are not able to come to the knowledg of the truth that they flee the Cross that they are unwilling to forsake all for Christ that they do chuse rather to be subject to the corrupt laws and wills of men than to Christ that they lay heavy burthens on mens shoulders which they touch not with one of their singers that they respect their own interest ease profit and security that they count gain to be godliness that they are hirelings that they do preach up the power and dominion of the devils leading into sin above the power of Christ over sin in this life that they do exalt the devils power who is their master above Christ that they preach up outward worship bodily service outward forms ceremonies and observances of outward ordinances and traditions of men of worship in outward Temples and consecrated places and outward conformity out of the life and power of godliliness in Common-prayer service and singing of Davids Psalms that they please themselves with an outward melody of voice and organs that they labour to bring people to an outward communion under an outward profession and name of Christians that they make them Christians by an outward washing that their fellowship is only in and with the world that they do not what God requires at their hands that they are preachers up of the Kingdom of the Beast and false Prophet that they are bewailers of the great City Babylon that their trade and merchandize do depend on her that they are pretended Ministers of Christ that they are Antichrists Ministers that the Gospel preached by them is of Antichrists setting up that they are led by the spirit of Antichrist that they make merchandize of the words of God that they are not Ministers of the Spirit that they are hypocrites who draw near to Christ with their mouths but deny him in their works that Episcopal Presbyterian and Independent are alike corrupt teachers that they do all preach in their own wisdom of words that they do differ from the true Ministers of Christ his Gospel and life that they do all want a thorough-reformation that they have taken up their stations in formalities that they are rejected of God that they are such from whom the Lord is departed that they are denied of the Lord to be his Ministers that they are such teachers to whom as our friend Knight saith the Lord saith who hath required these things at your hands wherein you have polluted my name that they seek their own more than Gods that they have not the Spirit that they are turned aside to fables that they are quenchers of the Spirit that they are despisers of Prophesie that they do speak evil of that which they understand not that they are none of Christs Ministers in the Spirit that they convert not any unto God that they go forth in the will of man that they are not of God that they are false shepherds that they speak their own words that they compose their own Sermons in their own wills and wisdom that they are no true guides in the way of life that they are deceivers and seducers who wax worse and worse that they run in the way of Balaam that they are false guides who lead to destruction whose ways are the ways of death whose end is everlasting misery that they are ready to blaspheme that holy name whereby we Quakers are called See Numb 116 117. ARTICLE XCVIII In the last place We Q. do stedfastly believe as George Fox and Richard Hubberthorn our friends do That our dear friends W. P. G. Whitehead William Smith G. C. and George Fox the younger James Parnell George Fox the elder and Richard Hubberthorn Edward Burrough George Bishop and Nicholas Knight have written and printed their fore-named Books and given them forth from the immediate eternal Spirit of God and therefore by good consequence they and their writings are no less to be believed than the Penmen of the Scripture the Prophets and Apostles are FINIS The Names of the Books cited in this Treatise with the Page where the Author begins to extract the Quakers corrupt Creed out of them I. THE Counterfeit Christian detected and the real Quaker justified By a lover of Truth and Peace W. P. Printed 1674. Page 4 II. The nature of Christianity in the true Light asserted Written by a Servant of Christ G. Whitehead Printed in the year 1671. Page 13 III. The Quakers Primmer by S.C. and George Fox the younger Page 27 IV. Two Treatises viz. a new Primmer and a new Catechism both written by William Smith Printed 1668. Page 33 V. A Collection of the several Writings given forth from the spirit of the Lord through the servant of God James Parnel who bore a faithful testimony for God and died a Prisoner under the hands of a persecuting generation in Colchester Castle in the year 1656. Published 1675. Page 59 VI. The Heathens Divinity set upon the heads of all called Christians G. F. Printed in the year 1671. Page 118 VII The power and glory of the Lord shining out of the North or the day of the Lord dawning By one whom Ishmaels brood calls a Quaker whose name in the flesh is James Naylor London printed 1653. Page 128 VIII A Warning from the Lord by one named of the world Edward Burrough Page 129 IX The Warnings of the Lord to the men of this generation particularly to those in power who are lately passed away and to them that remain as they were given forth in sundry Letters and sent to Oliver Cromwell Richard his Son late Protectors c. by his servant George Bishop who is moved of the Lord to publish them London printed by M. Inman 1660. Page 135 X. A Comparison between the true and false Ministers by Nicholas Knight Printed 1675. Page 141
that dost regard these false things In this Glass you see the ugly face of these Quaking-lines without just offence it may be truly said That Quakerism is not of God because it overthrows what Christ the Son of God incarnate hath established till his last coming to judgment Q. p. 38. Q. Numb 45 Ch. But is not the place in which all these things are performed a true Church Fa. Nay the true Church is in God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and Christ is the Head of it but the place in which such things are performed is also of the Popes invention and he counts himself to be the Head of it and is a place made by men and it is wood and stone which do decay and come to nought then they make levies and gather money to repair it again and if they do not so it will consume and turn into mire and dirt but the true Church is a living thing Pr. Pr. These Quaking-lines are largely transcrib'd to shew how impertinently this Quaker is imployed how busie he is to beat a man of straw of his own making because the holy Catholick Church is the true Church of God of which Christ is the head therefore a material Church is no true Church no true place for the members of the true Church of God to meet together in for divine worship this is that weak reasoning which doth well suit an ignorant Quaker it 's a sorry mistaking cavil to say that all material Churches are of the Popes invention and that the Pope is the head of them By the way let us note it to be a base sly insinuation to corrupt the minds of young children as if a material Church were the only acknowledged true Church by those that are no Quakers who knows not that a material Church is a place made by men and not by angels I know none of us that are in such darkness that this Quaker need to tell us that Christ is the head of the true Church as for that Church which this Quaker calls a living thing it is an unlawful Conventicler Ecclesia malignantium the congregation of evil doers with which this Church and Kingdom is too much pestered it is no slander to term this Quakers Church which he calls a living thing a meer Chimera or his own brain-sick notion where a company of Quakers are got together there is this living thing to be found Q. p. 39. Q. Numb 46 Ch. But are not these the true Christians that practise and perform such things Fath. They have got the Christians words and so count themselves Christians but they are not in the Christians life neither is their way the Christians way so they are practising those things that God requires not at their hands neither doth he accept them Pr. Pr. This Quaking instructor doth here foully charge all those that are not down-right Quakers not the Kings Majesty on the Throne nor the Peers of this Realm nor any other Christians do escape this Quakers lash in this Quakers estimate we are all like so many Apes or Parrots that have gotten the words of Christians but are no Christians in truth we are all dead lifelefs Christians none of us are in the life of Christians we are all out of the right way for our way is not the Christians way in preaching praying receiving baptizing hearing and singing of Psalms there is nothing done but practising those things which God requires not of us nor doth accept our whole Divine service is like an abominable sacrifice to the Lord behold what base Doctrine is delivered by this Quaking-father to poyson the youth of this Kingdom is not this the right way to debauch the Kings subjects in their minority Q. p. 40. Q. Numb 47 Ch. I observe that people make much to do one with another when they meet together or part one from another in putting off their Hats and bowing and cringing and going backward and scraping and I am doubtful whether this be true honour with which I am to honour all men Fath. Thou mayest be assured that it is not the true honour Ch. How may I be assured of it Fath. Why child they that seek honour one of another they do not believe in Christ the power of God which is honourable in all men and this seeks not the honour below or to have the Hat put off or the body to bow or cringe or the feet to scrape it neither seeks such honour nor can give such honour and so men seek honour one of another and they give it one to another with their hat and knee and Your humble servant Sir and such are not in the power of God but in the vain customs of the Heathens and so it is got in a custom to put off the hat and bow and cringe and scrape and women to courtesie and droop and these are the apostate Christians that are out of the power of God and so seek honour one of another and are respecting one anothers person and the rich and the proud they get the honour and the poor and the needy are not regarded Pr. Pr. In this Quaking-fathers Rhapsody we have that civil honour ridiculously decryed which is rightly due and warrantably to be performed by one man to another may not any man truly say this Quakers spirit is very blind that did not help him to discern betwixt seeking honour one of another and giving civil honour one to another what would this Quaker have said if he had seen Abraham the father of the faithful bowing himself before the people of the land of Heth or if he had heard Ephron the Hittite calling Abraham his Lord and Abraham bowing himself to acknowledg his kindness to honour him again would he have told Abraham that he did not believe in Christ the power of God surely if this Quaker had been in St. Pauls time St. Paul would have been lookt on by him as an apostate Christian for this way of speaking most noble Festus is it not plain that this Quaking-father is under gross mistakes are they not causelesly blamed by this clownish father that do mutually honour one another which is a due debt doth he not unjustly charge them to be Pharisee-like Christians such as do not believe in the power of God for tendering due honour to whom it belongs doth he not ignorantly call it seeking honour of one another without offence let it be said the power of God which the Quakers pretend to is basely abused by them it is made by their folly as meer a clown as themselves according to this Quaking-father it was not the God of power who said Honour thy father and thy mother nor was it the Spirit of God in St. Paul who moved him to say Honour all men in honour preferring one another to have the hat put off or the body to bow or the feet to scrape this is honour below which this Quakers power of God seeks not nor can give
the Scripture observe it well to read in to meditate of to study to believe to live according to the Scriptures is as this Quaker calls it our doting on them and this is done with our dark minds there except Quakers who cannot but have a very good opinion of themselves who follow the Light within them as their Lord God and Saviour all others both people and teachers of this world do but dote on the Scriptures with their dark minds nay to take this Quakers mind more at large they are like the blind Pharisees the people being blind themselves are led by their blind teachers thus they go blind-folded seeking life in the Scripture doted on where it is not to be found I may now truly say according to this Quakers mind that the Scripture is basely accounted of either as a dead letter which hath no life in it or as Christs tomb or empty grave where Christ the true Light is not to be found Q. p. eâd. Q. Numb 56 Thus with your dark minds you would take the authority from Christ and would give it to the dead Letter Pr. Pr. Now this Quaker speaks plainly but not yet like righteous Abel he doth harp still upon his old string as if Christ were dethroned because the Scripture Gods Word is a light unto our feet behold if either people learn or are taught such true doctrine as this is then the people and their teachers with their dark minds do as this Quaker saith take the authority from Christ and give it to the Scripture which is saith this Quaker a dead letter Without doubt this is a base slander the Grand Seignior would not suffer his Alchoran to be thus reproacht however in this point their elder brethren the Papists and our modern Quakers are well agreed to both of them the Holy Scripture is no more but a dead letter By the way let it be observed that here is James Parnel a servant of God whose Writings were pretended to be given forth from the Spirit of the Lord a Martyr one that gave his testimony for God who called the Scripture a dead letter is not this corrupt tree plainly to be known by this bad fruit do you not espy a wolf in sheeps cloathing are not those streams which make glad the City of God basely fouled by him I am sure the testimony of this Quaking-Martyr is not the testimony which the Scripture bears of it self no undeluded Christian can believe that it is from the true Spirit of the Lord to term the Scripture a dead letter without controversie it is a standing-shame to Christianity that Christ the light of life cannot be rightly exalted but the Scripture must first be declared to be a dead letter this abominable doctrine was first hatcht amongst the Papists and and is now maintained amongst the Quakers Q. p. 16 17. Q. Numb 57 Your Leaders cause you to err for their own ends and of the Scripture they make an idol to get money by which they lead you in blindness in vain are you worshipping a God whom you know not crying up the Scripture exalting it in the place of Christ Pr. Pr. By this Quakers testimony all Ministers of the Gospel are basely bespattered they are in this Quakers account such Leaders as cause the people to err they are no better than a base sort of self-ended Teachers who lead the people into error for their own ends nay worse they are Idolaters and the Scripture he saith is their Idol to speak this Quakers mind more fully as Diana of the Ephesians was Demetrius his Idol so the Scripture saith this Quaker is the Idol of all Gospel-Ministers to get money by by instructing the people out of Gods word Ministers if you can believe this Quaker do nothing else but cause people to err and lead them in blindness by following the Doctrine taught by Gods Ministers the people are like the heathen Athenians this Quaker saith they do in vain worship a God whom they know not by making the Scripture to be the rule of their faith and life this Quaker saith they cry up the Scripture to the Lord Christs high dishonour exalting it in Christs place if this be not high base doctrine then what is such The Turkish Alchoran was never so debased by any Mahometans nor Heathen Priests so vilified in any part of the world by their Vassals as the Word and Ministers of the Most High God have been by this deluded Quaker Q. p. 18. Q. Numb 58 He is the Word and the Scripture is not He is the Light and the Scripture is not He is the Rule and the Guide and Teacher and Judg and the Scripture is not Pr. Pr. Here we have this Quakers cramb the second part of the same tune this Quakers dream is double according to this Quakers mind his false doctrine is established if any are so foolish as to regard it it is an Oracle from this Quakers lying spirit That the Scripture is not the Word of God nor a light unto our feet nor the Rule Guide Teacher or Judg because Christ is so this is the Quakers old weak reason fit to be dismissed as such But whither doth this Quakers wild doctrine tend Is not this the true meaning of it That the holy Apostle St. Peter was grosly mistaken that the holy men of God mentioned by him did not speak the word of God as they were moved by the Holy Ghost That the sure word of Prophecy is no light shining in a dark place That those primitive Christians did very ill to take heed to any such light without them as the Scripture the sure word of Prophecy is To speak a little more according to this Quakers mind by no means the Law and the Testimony mentioned by the Prophet Isaiah may now be our Rule we do all follow a blind guide if we are led by the Scripture Hath not this man quaked to purpose Is not the Scripture by him shaken to nothing for it 's no word of God no Light no Rule no Guide no Teacher no Judg. Surely it's matter of lamentation that a false Christ the Light within who is not God and Man in one person must by Quakers be thus exalted to lay the honour of the Scripture in the dust to make the word of God of none effect Q. p. 19. Q. Numb 59 Saying among themselves If we let go the authority of the Scriptures then all is gone that is to say Take away our Idol then take away our maintenance then down with our Ministry Pr. Pr. Here this Quaker pretends to be the Priests Cabin-Counsellor to discover their secrets he brings them to light as being such as do only hold fast the divine authority of the Scripture to save their main stake mark how he supposes them to say among themselves even that which none but this Quaker or others like himself did ever hear If we let go the authority of the Scripture then all is gone This he
takes for his Text now follows his gloss That is to say take away our idol then take away our maintenance then down with our Ministry Is not this rarely quaked What will not a real Quaker say to asperse the Ministring-Priests of the Lord This Quaker hath clearly for his own purpose hit this nail on the head well may none but Quakers cry Euge Jacobe Observe it once more here is the Scripture standing again for an idol and all Ministers of the Gospel because not quakerized for the Priests of this Idol the Scripture is there not here a sound like that of old Great is Diana of the Ephesians Do not the Priests like those Craftsmen make a great stir about their Idol the Scripture Do they not say in this Quakers hearing Take away our Idol then take away our Maintenance then down with our Ministry Surely it is new very clear that the Quakers have very mean thoughts either of the Scripture or of Gods true Ministers the latter are in scorn called Priests the former is more basely termed their Idol by this Quaker we are come to a strange pass seeing that no Ministers may stick close to the divine authority of the Scripture but their gain is their only end in so doing and the Scripture the word of God is their Idol which they worship for advantage sake that their maintenance may not be taken away and that their Ministry which some Quakers prophanely enough call their trade may not go down I need add no more but this Nigro carbone notetur without question this quaking-doctrine deserves a black mark Q. p. 22. Q. Numb 60 They have nothing but the Scripture without and are still without in darkness and confusion as all those appear to be who call the Scripture their rule and guide and yet know not the truth Pr. Pr. Here th's Quaker is still baiting the Priests of the most high God as if they were a sort of Letter-mongers that have only the Scripture without out-side teachers who are still without such as are in darkness without Christ the light of life such as are in confusion without divine guidance and all this dirt is cast on them by this Quaker because they call rather make the Scripture their rule and guide but in the mean time know not the truth by the way observe how fond the Quakers are of their Light within to exalt this Idol they count the holy Scripture to be what it is not an Idol it 's no less than darkness and confusion as this Quaker saith to call the Scripture the rule of faith and life surely the holy Spirit of God is in vain pretended to by the Quakers who do so basely abuse in print those who call the Scripture the Word of God who do so much decry the Scripture from being the Word of God a rule or guide Oh that the Quakers could lay this great sin to their hearts Q. p. 25. Q. Numb 61 You bring another Gospel calling the four Books Matthew Mark Luke and John the Gospel Pr. Pr. Here this Quaker is offended with us unjustly for calling the Books written by St. Matthew Mark Luke and John the Gospel this is as he saith no less matter than to bring another Gospel into the world suppose this to be what it is not a true charge then according to St. Paul's Doctrine this Quaker would make us accursed and all that have gone before us for this new Gospel surely this Quaker did not well consider what he wrote for no Quaker doubtless dare say that the matter of those Books is not true Gospel how then came this Quaker to talk of our bringing another Gospel by affirming these Books to be the Gospel of St. Matthew Mark Luke and John as the Church of England doth as the Reformed Churches do abroad this Quaker would make us to be faulty in an high degree for by bringing in another Gospel we have another Christ to be our Saviour than he that is God and Man in one person the word made flesh it is certainly very sad that we may not call the matter of those four Books the Gospel which was written for our instruction by those four Evangelists St. Matthew Mark Luke and John but we must be basely charged to bring another Gospel which St. Paul terms accursed Q p. 26. Q. Numb 62 That is a false light in you which leads you to profess the Scripture to be your rule but in life and practice deny it Pr. Pr. Without borrowing any of this Quakers Light within him to tell us it is a confessed truth amongst us That all those do hold the truth in unrighteousness that do not live according to it but it is no false light in any of us to profess the Scripture to be our rule and though men are never so wicked the Scripture is still the rule of a better life to them which they ought to follow certainly this Quakers spirit was very much in the dark to asperse the Scripture so as he hath done by Gods own appointment the Scripture is the rule of faith and life it 's folly to think that the sinfulness of any mans life can make the Scripture to cease to be the rule of life as God hath declared it to be without doubt it is a false light in any Quaker which guides him to say that the Scripture is not the rule of his life without the Light within to guide him The next Pamphlet of James Parnel is called Q. The Trumpet of the Lord blown or a blast against pride and oppression Pr. Pr. To be sure this Trumpet sounds nothing like those silver Trumpets of old there is no small danger in this Quakers blast I shall endeavour to cast some Church-mould upon it the first sound is a terrible long blast Q. p. 28 29 30. Q. Numb 63 Wo unto you that are called Lords Ladies Knights Gentlemen and Gentlewomen in respect to your persons who are exalted in the earth who are proud high and lofty who are called of men Master Mistris and Madam you are exalted above your fellow-creatures and grind the faces of the poor you live at ease spending your time in chambering and wantonness in hawking bowling carding dicing in eating drinking and sleeping you feed the lust eating drinking and rising up to play which is Idolatry your high and lofty horses are like your selves according to your lofty minds you sit at ease Dives-like devouring the Creation spending it upon your lusts your hearts being adultred from God your fellow-creatures labour like slaves under you you sit at ease and poor Lazarus lyes starving without you think scorn that a poor man should stand with his hat on before you you will be called Masters upholding that which Christs Doctrine forbids who saith Be not ye called Master you think scorn to be Thoued of your fellow-creatures but you will Thou God and Christ but though you be exalted as high as the Heavens and set your nests
among the Stars thence will the Lord fetch you down and cast you into hell the pit as he did Lucifer Dives and Haman and Pharaoh and Herod and the rest of your fore-fathers Pr. Pr. I have exercised your patience with a long-winded discourse I have transcribed so much that this Quakers mind might be known at large his Trumpet hath sounded long but not at all like those at Mount Sinai when the Lord gave his Law to his people here is a fearful blast blown no less than the Lords wo is pronounced against all Lords Ladies Knights Gentlemen and Gentlewomen yea against all that are called Master Mistris Madam all these without exception are declared by this Quaker to be in a miserable condition to use his own words or explain more fully this Quakers mind they are like Lucifer or the Devil who is fallen as low as hell they are like Dives who is miserable in hell-torments they are like bloody Haman the enemy of the Lords people who died a cursed shameful death they are like Pharaoh who kept Gods people in hard bondage a prepared vessel for the Lords wrath who perished miserably in the Red-sea they are like Herod whom our Saviour called a Fox whose last end was miserable all these were their fore-fathers as this Quaker saith now let us see their faults for which they are thus accursed by this poor Quaker amongst them all there is not one righteous nor one that doth good as this Quaker doth vainly imagin here is indeed no respect of persons observe it well this Quaker saith all that are called Lords Ladies Knights Gentlemen and Gentlewomen Master Mistris Madam are alike all very bad hear his foul charge according to the true import of it they are the exalted of the earth proud oppressing wanton given to pleasure lustful belly-gods sensual lofty minded riding on lofty horses according to their lofty minds Dives-like sinners devourers of the Creation spiritual Idolaters such whose hearts are gone a whoring from God so unmerciful as that poor Lazarus lyes starving at their gates so proud as that they will not suffer a poor man to keep on his hat before them yea so basely proud as that their fellow-creatures may not Thou them but they themselves will Thou God and Christ Now from this Quakers lines let us see their down-fall according to this Quaker the last end of all the aforesaid persons without exception is to be destroyed for ever for as he saith though they are as high as the Heavens nested like the Edomites among the Stars yet this Quakers pretended Lord not the Lord God will fetch them thence this Quakers false Lord will cast them into hell like Lucifer Dives Haman Pharaoh Herod and the rest of their forefathers according to the true import of this quaking-scribble all that are called Lords Ladies Knights Gentlemen and Gentlewomen Master Mistris Madam shall every one of them unless they turn Quakers be damned for ever you see that they are said by this Quaker to be all alike wicked and accursed like Lucifer Dives Haman Pharaoh and Herod and the rest of their wicked miserable forefathers they shall without any exception be all cast into hell I shall say no more but this surely this quaking-doctrine is not according to the tenour of the fifth Commandment nor according to the charitable spirit of the Gospel without a new Gospel it 's unjustifiable Q. p. 31 32 33. Q. Numb 64 You make a profession of Godliness with your Prayers Praises Graces Singing formal imaginary worship and have a Chaplain or Priest to preach to you one day in a week all the week after doing as you do spending their time as you do in eating drinking and rising up to play and you have a place for him to preach to you in and all this for money but the pearl you want you say he is a Minister of Christ and he saith you are Christians when as you all are heathens both Priest and people living without God in the world and so the blind leads the blind into the ditch wo wo is coming upon you all the Lord abhors all your profession and your hypocrisie your works are the works of the Devil you serve the Devil with your hearts and actions you are strangers to the life of God no Christians but heathens both Priest and people Pr. Pr. Here is another of this Quakers ill blasts blown against all Lords Ladies Knights Gentlemen and Gentlewomen Masters Mistresses and Madams but now their Chaplains or Priests are hem'd in with them according to this Quakers mind the Religion of all these is nothing worth it 's but the profession of Godliness which is the hypocrites badg all their Prayers Praises Graces singing of Psalms do not go one step beyond a formal imaginary worship their Chaplains or Priests are as bad as themselves like those Idolaters before the Golden Calf they do all the week spend their time in eating and drinking and rising up to play their Priests are only men that design for money serving them for their money but as for the Light within the Quakers adored Pearl both they and their Chaplains do want it in this Quakers account both they and their Chaplains or Priests are clawbacks well met they call him a Minister of Christ and he faith they are Christians but according to this Quaker there is no such matter both Priest and people are all heathens such heathens as do live without God in the world the blind people are led by their blind Priests into the same ditch they are such vile miscreants as that he saith the Lords wo is coming on them they are such professors and hypocrites as the Lord abhors such whoseworks are the works of the Devil such as serve the Devil in their hearts and actions in plain English this Quaker saith both Priest and people are no Christians what then are they he saith but heathens such as are strangers to the life of God now let us review this Quakers testimony is it not hence apparent that the Nobility and Gentry of this Kingdom are both abominable and accursed are not their Chaplains and Priests worse than any pitiful Quaker are they not the scum of the world the filth of the place where they live behold the Religion of the Nobility Gentry and Priests of this Kingdom what is it in a Quakers eye are not they and Priests declared by this Quaker to be no Christians but heathens Is it not lamentable that such rake-shame doctrine as this is should be accounted the Lords testimony is not this the ready way to make Religion ridiculous surely Quakerism exalted is but a pretended religious foolery Q. p. 34 35 36. Q. Numb 65 All you high and lofty ones Haman-like be you silent away with all your profession tremble before the Lord you children of the Devil howl in sackcloth and ashes for the Lord is coming to burn you up as stubble you are the fruitless trees that cumber
What is the husk to the kernel what should Swine do with Pearls whose life is the husk and there they feed he who saith the Letter is the Word is a deceiver and errs not knowing the Scripture who putteth the Letter for the Word is blind and putteth the shadow for the substance he also that saith the Letter is the rule and guide of the people of God is without feeding upon the husk and is ignorant of the true Light Pr. Pr. Here the Holy Scripture is ill-guarded by this Quakers Shield of Truth Behold here are many black marks set upon the Holy-Scripture in the first place The Scripture by this Quaker is unjustly termed the Letter which is a dead lifeless thing 2dly The Scripture is termed the husk which is far short of the kernel Doth not this Husk say that the Scripture is unprofitable like an husk which is good for nothing 3dly They who make the Scripture their rule their guide are Swine feeding on husks 4thly That man is said by this Quaker to be a deceiver one that erreth one that knows not the Scripture who saith that the Letter is the Word or to speak more plainly this Quakers meaning That Christian is very much to blame and grosly mistaken who saith that the Scripture is the Word of God 5thly That man is blind that puts the Letter for the Word this is putting as the Quaker saith the shadow for the substance Doth not this Quaker in effect term all Christians blind Bayards that take the Scripture to be the Word of God Is it not hence clear that this Quaker counts the Scripture to be that shadow which other Christians mistaken take for the substance which is a base quaking assertion 6thly That man is without a Swine feeding on the husk one that is ignorant of the true Light who saith that the Letter is the rule and guide of the people of God The plain meaning of this Quakers words is this that the Scripture termed by him the Letter is neither the rule nor guide of the people of God and that man that saith it is their rule and guide is one that knows not Christ the true light Q. p. 73. Q. Numb 70 The Baptism we own which is the Baptism of Christ with the Holy Ghost and with fire but we deny all other now I see the other to be formal imitation and the invention of man and so a meer delusion all are heathens and no Christians who cannot witness this Baptism Pr. Pr. Here this Quaker tells us plainly that he and his fellow Quakers do deny baptizing with water that baptism with water is so far from being an Ordinance of Jesus Christ as that it is in this Quakers eye but a sorry formal imitation the invention of man a meer delusion and that all those that are only baptized with water are heathens and no Christians according to these quaking-lines the Church of England is grosly mistaken to affirm that Baptism is a sign of profession a mark of difference to discern Christians from those that are no Christians if this Quaker shall be heard in our Baptism there is no such thing as a sign of Regeneration whereby as by an instrument the baptized are grafted into the Church Art 27 it 's a meer delusion to say that the promises of the forgiveness of sins of our adoption to be the sons of God by the Holy Ghost are signified and sealed to speak this Quakers mind once more it is but a formal imitation and invention of man a meer delusion to say that the Baptism of young Children is in any wise to be retained in the Church as most agreeable with the institution of Christ Thus you see how this Quakers doctrine hath quaked the Doctrine of the Church of England into a meer delusion it 's likewise clear that let Quakerism go uncontrouled it will soon unchristian any Nation it 's basely done both to bid defiance to Christs institution and unchristen a Nation Q. p. 75. Q. Numb 71 The bread which the world breaks is carnal and natural goes into the belly passes out into the dunghill so likewise the cup which they drink and so the communion of the world passeth away and here is no communion but natural outward and carnal which is the table of devils here they are without feeding upon the husk and shadow without Pr. Pr. This Quaker hath very mean thoughts of the Lords Supper he counts it but the worlds communion instead of an holy Ordinance instituted by Christ himself this Quaker saith it is the worlds communion which is natural outward carnal instead of the Lords Table this Quaker calls it impudently the table of devils as for the bread broken which is the body of Christ this Quaker calls it the bread which the world breaks and he speaks abominably of this bread blessed and broken calling it carnal and natural that it passeth out of the belly into the dunghill are not these base words fit only for a Quakers mouth as for the Cup in the Lords Supper that is no better esteemed by this Quaker than the bread is that which is indeed the cup of blessing with St. Paul is with this Quaker but the worlds cup in receiving Sacramental bread and wine all Communicants are told by this Quaker that they do but feed upon the husk and shadow without except a Quaker who did ever count receiving the Lords Supper to be feeding upon the husk and shadow without in a Quakers account the Lords Supper is a very empty Ordinance of the Gospel bread and wine are but the husk and shadow without Q. p. 78 79. Q. Numb 72 Those we deny and their Ministry who have gotten the letter and form to trade with who to get humane learning are certain years serving as it were an apprentiship pretending to study Divinity and when their time is expired go among blind people get a certain wage sell that which they get into the brain live upon dust which is the Serpents meat death feeding death feeding the carnal mind with the carnal letter but this Ministry works no reformation only hath the form leads into the form and denies the power such come by the will of man and are upheld by the will of man and not by the will of God their call and ministry we deny which is mediate and formal imitation and invention of man and so a meer delusion their Ministry is dark dead and cold Pr. Pr. Here the Ministry of the Gospel by those that are lawfully ordained by Bishops in this Church is denied by this Quaker as for such Ministers of the Gospel they are basely reproached by this Ammonite-like Quaker they are said by this Quaker to trade with the letter and form they do as it were serve a seven years apprentiship to get humane learning like hirelings they serve for a certain wage what they get by study into their brain they sell for money the letter or the Scripture is
but James witnessed against it and said He that respects persons commits sin for there is no respect of persons with God therefore saith James howl ye rich men here your professed Ministers abide not in the doctrine of Christ and so have not God but the devil now you shall see the partiality of the names in this your breeding and manners from a poor man to a rich man it is called honour and due respect and manners from a rich man to a poor man it is called courtesie and humility amongst the rich and nobles of the earth it is called Courtlike breeding of those of the lower degree it is called Country-breeding amongst the lower sort of the world it is called neighbourhood and civil respect one to another and so the devil hath covers for all his deceit and so he is honoured both in Court and Country but wo unto them that hide their sins and cover with a covering and not of the spirit of the Lord but this is the riches of the world and the devil that makes so many degrees as between Dives and Lazarus Haman and Mordecai for the Lord hath made all the Nations of the earth of one mould and one blood Pr. Pr. In these quaking-lines we are told by this Quaker to this purpose That putting off the hat suppose to the King to any Peers to any Magistrates to any Gentlemen or others is an invention of proud Lucifer who is the devil according to this Quakers mind by putting off the hat to them the devil is honoured worshipped and exalted in man to whom it is done according to this quaking-document when all Courtiers stand bare in the Kings Presence what are they then doing this Quaker saith in print thereby the devil is honoured worshipped and exalted in man if this be loyal doctrine delivered by this Quaker let the whole world judg this Quaker saith that putting off the hat is such a fashion as the Scripture doth not warrant according to this Quaker then standing bare in the Kings Presence is civil honour given to the King without any Scripture-warrant behold the Scripture is abused by this Quaker to tell us that man hath found out many inventions but this is most certain that till Quakerism was hatcht which is not yet thirty years old or not much elder to put off the hat was none of these inventions till there was an yester-day-Quaker no man was so far imposed upon by the spirit of errour as to say that putting off the hat to the King to superiours to our equals was an invention of the devil but this Quaker is arrived in the ship of folly at a strange discovery that which is rightly called courtesie humility honour manners breeding due respect this Quaker by a false light within him hath discovered here to be that respect of persons which was he saith never ordained by God but by the devil behold here is a base discovery to be courteous and lowly to inferiours by moving the hat to them to give honour to shew manners and due respect to superiours to bid a poor man put on his hat is courtesie to be counted a courteous man but all this is as he saith wickedly that respect of persons which was never ordained of God but by the devil let me say without offence it is easie to guess at whose Torch this Quakers light within him was fired to give honour to the King Peers to name no more is according to this Quakers lines that respect of persons which was never ordained by God but by the devil by stirring in this puddle there is more of this Quakers stinking stuff to second this Quakers false base doctrine St. James his words are basely wrested by him St. James never said howl you rich men because it was then in use sinfully to respect them by putting the hat off to them St. James explains himself otherwise in that Chapter surely this Quakers spirit was dull-sighted to be thus grosly mistaken but this Quaker hath his by-fling at Ministers he saith here where in teaching to give honour to the King to the Peers to any to whom it is due your professed Ministers abide not in the Doctrine of Christ and so have not God but the devil behold how this Quaker makes all Ministers for teaching the truth to be no better than the Ministers of the devil or such as have the devil for their God now this Quaker goes on to tell us what is called honour due respect manners what is called courtesie and humility what is called Court-like breeding Country-breeding neighbourhood and civil respect surely this Quakers spirit was at no little leisure to attend such trifles but what of all these mind it well honour due respect manners courtesie humility Court-like breeding Country-breeding neighbourhood civil respect are according to this Quaker covers which the devil hath got for all his deceit by these he saith the devil is honoured both in Court and Country but like the devil this Quaker quotes Scripture wrongfully to prove what he hath said amiss saying But wo unto them that hide their sins and cover with a covering but not of the spirit of the Lord now to what purpose are these Scripture-words Surely they are sent by this Quaker on that errand to prove that which the most wise God never intended them for any considering person may soon see enough to this Quakers shame for his impertinent alledging of them but this Quaker hath brought us to another new but strange discovery which is this That the Riches of the World and the Devil have made so many degrees as between Dives and Lazarns Haman and Mordecai doth not this Quaker in effect say thus much That the many degrees of Honour that are either in this Kingdom or elsewhere are of the Devils making behold how this Quaker is become a down-right Leveller for as all degrees of men are of the Devil so his quaking-equality is pretended to be from the Lord for he saith the Lord hath made all the Nations of the Earth of one mould and one blood I may truly say That this wild stuff is nearly allied to this When Adam digg'd and Eve span where then was the Gentleman Except deluded Quakers and doting Levellers none do derive the Degrees of men from the Devil according to this Quaker the King as Supreme Head of this Kingdom hath that Degree of Honour above all his Subjects which is made by the Devil which is a most base aspersion cast on the Kings most Excellent Majesty by this Quaker Q. p. 97 98 Q. Numb 78 c. We are accused that we say That we are perfect without sin I answer Man was perfect without sin before the fall I shall leave this as a query with all both Priests and people who deny perfection from sin here Whether Christ is but part of a Redeemer or a perfect Redeemer and which is the place betwixt Heaven and Earth where man shall be made free or cleansed
darkness and delusion of Antichrist both Priests and people your leaders cause you to err by their lyes you are lost for want of true knowledg only differing from the heathen in name and profession Pr. Pr. These quaking-lines serve to tell us that this quaking-watcher hath seen a base vision concerning the true Christian Religion and the Church of England in particular according to this brain-sick Quaker there hath been in the whole world no true profession of the Gospel since the Apostles days behold a black mark is set by this Quaker upon all Christians since that time to speak this Quakers mind more fully in all ages of the Christian Church since the Apostles days instead of Christ Antichrist hath reigned over the world under a Gospel-profession instead of true Gospel-light he saith there hath been only a long time of cruel darkness and ignorance as for the Lord this Quaker saith he hath been a long time ever since the Apostles days as a stranger in the earth behold according to this Quaker there hath been no true Christianity nothing but Antichristianism cruel darkness and ignorance and estrangedness from the Lord in all ages of the Christian Church ever since the Apostles days now let us proceed this Quaker is still bold to tell us that ever since the Apostles days all the believing on God or Christ hath been nothing else but an unprofitable looking at him as a God afar off in the Heavens without they knew not where according to this Quaker you may perceive that there have been no truly faithful Christians in the world since the Apostles days to speak this Quakers mind ever since the Apostles days they were only vain believers who said they believed that that was the Christ that died at Jerusalem rose again sits at the right hand of God c. who thus believing were baptized with water and called Christians behold how by this Quaker believing in Christ that died c. is slighted and likewise the baptizing of those Christians who did so believe in Jesus Christ in effect all this is lookt upon by this Quaker to be a pitiful piece of Christianity as for the Scripture this Quaker saith that was the Letter whereof these called Christians were the keepers which they took for their rule according to this Quakers mind the Scripture hath been the mistaken rule of all Christians to walk by ever since the Apostles days as for any Commentaries written upon the Scriptures since the Apostles days this Quaker saith they were but their own meanings and imaginations behold how all Expositors of the holy Scriptures both ancient and modern are basely asperst by this Quaker their Expositions have been no more but their own meanings and imaginations obtruded on the Scripture As for Infant-baptism used in all ages of the Christian Church this Quaker like an Anabaptist saith there is no Scripture nor example for it that it is in vain called an Ordinance of Christ then saith this Quaker that is in the reign of Antichrist they had their two Sacraments but without any Scripture-warrant for the word Sacraments as for the Sacrament of the Lords Supper this Quaker calls it only carnal bread and wine thus in the reign of Antichrist this Quaker saith the Church was planted in England and other places behold according to this Quaker both the Church of England and other particular Churches planted since the Apostles days in any part of the world are all under the dominion of Antichrist their baptism with water is no Ordinance of Christ the Lords Supper is only carnal bread and wine both Sacraments without Scripture-warrant but mark what follows Then that is in the reign of Antichrist in the long time of cruel darkness in the time of the Lords absence from the earth were as this Quaker saith Bishops set up and Archbishops Deans Priests Deacons Popes the Bishops bearing rule by their Means Priests preaching for hire Behold how this Quaker gives us a distinct sound of the Antichristian Hierarchy which hath continued since the Apostles dayes Thus according to this Quaker in all Centuries of the Christian Church since the Apostles days not Christ but Antichrist hath set up his Kingdom under the profession of the Gospel thus the Christian Church hath since those days had no Ecclesiastical Governours but such as were Antichristian thus all Bishops Archbishops Deans Priests Deacons as well as Popes have been in this Quakers account Antichristian for above sixteen hundred years by-past being masked under a vain profession of the Gospel Then that is when Antichrist reigned Tythes saith this Quaker came up contrary to any rule of the Gospel behold how Tythes are made by this Quaker to be Antichristian too a maintenance contrary to the Gospel Then that is in the Reign of Antichrist Universities saith this Quaker were set up to make Ministers or Priests behold Universities by this Quaker are all made to be so many Antichristian Schools thus according to this Quaker after an Antichristian manner were Priests set up by the will and tradition of men as the false Prophets always were of old then in the foresaid reign of Antichrist University-Priests had their long robes like the Pharisees according to this Quaker Ministers habits are both Antichristian and Pharisaical then that is when Antichrist reigned Idols Temples called Churches or houses of God were set up according to this Quaker all publick places consecrated and set apart for Gods publick Worship are neither the material Churches or Houses of God but Idols Temples and Antichristian too then that is in the reign of Antichrist the Priests got into their Pulpits the chiefest places in the Synagogues being proudly called of men Master Doctor according to this Quakers mind Pulpits for Priests are become Antichristian too and the Antichristian Priests are got into them like so many Scribes being proud Masters and Doctors having the uppermost rooms at feasts and greetings in the market like the old Pharisees Scribes and hypocrites then that is in the reign of Antichrist began to speak this Quakers mind the Ecclesiasticall thieves who stole the Apostles words as the false Prophets did who took a verse and studied from it a divination of their own brain just as the Priests do now they run like the false Prophets according to this Quaker ever since the Apostles days all Gods Priests have been thieves like the false Prophets preaching a divination of their own brain like false Prophets running without God sending them then that is in the reign of Antichrist thorough covetousness they made merchandize of the people with feigned words like wolves upon sheep they preyed upon the people they sought about for great livings for fat benefices they ran from a lesser to a bigger living the beloved which they sought for like the false Prophets they sought for the fleece not regarding the flock they cried peace to them that put into their mouths they prepared war sued lawed those that did not feed them
Christ which frees from sin and the law he that hath an ear may hear this false doctrine Q. p. 80. Q. Numb 99 Whereas thou wouldest know with what body the Saints shall arise in that body which Christ shall live in for he is the Saviour of the body the resurrection and life of the body Pr. Pr. The drift of these lines is to give us this quaking-account of the resurrection of the Saints That no particular Saints shall rise with particular bodies from death to life again to any that would know in what body the Saints shall rise these Quakers give this answer they shall rise in that body which Christ doth live in for he is the Saviour of the body but what body is it whereof Christ is the Saviour have not these Quakers told us it is the Church so then this according to the Quakers is the body in which Christ lives and in this body the Saints shall arise thus you may plainly see that the Quakers do plainly deny that particular Saints shall rise from death to life at the last day with their own particular bodies and in what corrupt sense they do hold the resurrection of the body Q. p. 83. Q. Num. 100 Philosophy and Logick which are of the devil Pr. Pr. It 's no wonder that the Quakers do bespatter the Universities and those that are educated in them behold how these Quakers do in their bold ignorance speak evil of those things they know not saying that Philosophy and Logick are of the devil the baseness of this charge is evident I need say no more of it Q. p. 85. Q. Num. 101 Who art querying whether Christ have a body and the Father none shewing thy self not to know the Lords body for the Son is in the Father and they are one and with thy carnal eye lookest upon him to be like thy self if thou knowest his body thou knowest the fathers for they are both one thou full of subtlety who art querying how the Son may be distinguished from the Father and they are not to be distinguished but it is thou who art making many Gods and makest three Gods Pr. Pr. In these quaking-lines we are told to this purpose that Jesus Christ hath no body of flesh united to his Godhead in his own person no more than God the Father hath 2ly That there are no distinction of Persons in the Godhead for as these Quakers say the Son of God and God the Father are not distinguished 3ly These Quakers say that to distinguish God the Son from God the Father is making many Gods 4ly In the Quakers account to affirm three distinct Persons in the Godhead is likewise the making of three Gods Q. p. 98. Q. Num. 102 Christ did not send forth his Disciples to sprinkle a little durty water upon childrens faces as your filthy dreamers do and tell them it is an Ordinance of Christ who are lyars of him Pr. Pr. In these quaking-lines Infant-baptism is basely denied in this Quakers account it 's nothing but sprinkling a little durty water in childrens faces they that baptize children are termed by this Quaker filthy dreamers it 's also here said in effect that they do belye Christ who say that Infant-baptism is an Ordinance of Jesus Christ Q. p. 99 100. Q. Num. 103 The cup which thou drinkest we do deny for thy cup is the cup of devils and thy table is the table of devils which is an Idol and an imitation and thy sacrifice is to devils and not to God for do not drunkards meet at thy table and swearers and cursed speakers and fighters and who follow all manner of filthy pleasures and idolaters and covetous and these are thy companions and thy fellowship at thy table and what hast thou to do to talk of the cup of Christ who sits at the table of devils and drinks the cup of devils Pr. Pr. In these quaking-lines you see how the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is despised the cup blessed a Quaker calls here the cup of devils the Lords table he saith is the Priests table and calls it the table of devils of the Lords table he saith it is an idol and imitation receiving in remembrance of Christ sacrificed for us is sacrificing to devils and not to God in this Quakers esteem that the fellowship at the Lords table is very wicked that Communicants present themselves at the table of devils and do drink the cup of devils the Lords Supper as it is usually celebrated according to Christs own institution is in a Quakers account no more you see but the cup and table of devils an idol and imitation and a sacrificing to the devils and holding fellowship with wicked livers Q. p. 100. Q. Num. 104 Priests and Suppers and bread and wine is an imitation and an image which is the likeness of a thing which the Lord forbids Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven image nor the likeness of any thing Pr. Pr. This Quaker gives us plainly to understand what mean things Priests Suppers bread and wine are or to speak his mind more clearly that Preists the Lords Supper celebrated upon Communion-days Sacramental bread and wine are no more in this Quakers eye but an imitation and an image the likeness of a thing forbidden by God in the second Commandment till this Quakers heated fancy imposed upon him did ever any man affirm or was it ever read that Sacramental bread and wine or the Lords Supper was an image the likeness of a thing forbidden by God in the second Commandment given at mount Sinai surely no man of common sense can swallow this quaking inspiration the great folly of this poor man is transparent Q. p. 104. Q. Num. 105 We are moved by the immediate Spirit of Christ to write to teach or to exhort or to put in print our giving forth papers or printed books it is from the immediate eternal Spirit of God Pr. Pr. We may behold here that all Quakers are in their own account become so many infallible Popes they do all imagine themselves to be possessed of the immediate Eternal Spirit of God of Christ See here also that in all they write teach exhort or print all Quakers are moved by the immediate Spirit of Christ that there are no papers given forth nor books printed by any Quakers though never so full of ignorance of false Grammer of nonsense of false charges of false doctrine of old errors of abominable blasphemy of ridiculous impertinences but they are all basely pretended to be from the immediate Eternal Spirit of God In this Glass you may likewise see in what esteem with themselves their papers and books printed are in comparison of the Scripture this which is Gods word and Gods book given by inspiration of God is with all Quakers decryed as being not the word of God no light no rule but the letter a dead letter an idol husk a shadow dust a carnal letter whilst their papers and books are owned
by themselves to be given forth from the immediate Eternal Spirit of God I may truly say That quaking-Pamphlets are in high honour to the Scriptures great disgrace But thus I have done with this idle Scribble THE next quaking-Pamphlet to be briefly toucht upon is termed The Power and Glory of the Lord shining out of the North or the Day of the Lord dawning By one whom Ishmaels brood calls a Quaker whose name in the flesh is James Naylor London printed 1653. Pr. Pr. This blasphemous stigmatized Quaker looks upon all unquakerized persons as being Ishmaels brood the Title is vain-glorious enough Bristol and Bridewell have known the abomination of this mans quaking-folly but amongst deluded Quakers he is still in too much request Let us look into his Pamphlet Q. p. 5. Q. Num. 106 Because the Lord sends his Messengers into your Idol-Temples to cry against your Idol-worships and Heathenish Customs Pr. Pr. In these quaking-lines all quaking-ramblers are in the first place called the Lords Messengers but as for Material Churches they 're only Idol-Temples and the Worship performed in them is only an Idol-worship but as for Heathenish Customs I do not well understand them save that the Christianity of England is Heathenism in this Quakers account to take a full view of this Quakers mind Idolatry and Heathenism did at this time bear the chief sway in England That our Material Churches are still Idol-Temples That our Worship of God in them is idolatrous That our Customs still are Heathenish Q. p. 8. Q. Num. 107 The Spirit is the Original which first reveals the mystery to the spirit within man Pr. Pr. In this Quakers opinion both Hebrew and Greek Tongues are only carnal Learning and natural Tongues gotten at Cambridg and Oxford in this mans account the former is not the Original of the Old Testament nor the latter of the New Testament for he saith the Spirit is the Original To add no more it 's very clear that this Quaker was grosly ignorant THE next quaking-Pamphlet to be considered is called A Warning from the Lord by one named of the world Edward Burrough Pr. Pr. This Pamphlet was printed 1654 it 's a virulent piece which hath made the Author to be well known to the world for his virulency when you have heard him speak his mind then it will appear to be so But let us come to the Book it self Q. p. 2. Q. Num. 108 All your carnal traditional Ordinances and Observances is abomination to the Lord all your praying and praising is odious in his sight all your worship is an imagination of the dark mind of man Pr. Pr. In this Quakers account preaching hearing reading the Scripture praying praising the Lord receiving the Lords Supper baptizing with water the acknowledged Ordinances of the Gospel among all unquakerized persons are basely esteemed as being carnal traditional Ordinances such as are an abomination to the Lord such as are odious in his sight such a worship as is but an imagination of mans dark mind Q. p. 5 6 9 10. Q. Num. 109 All your carnal Worship and Ordinances and Observances is but mocking of God and dissembling with him baptizing with water I deny it is not of God but an imitation and is an abomination in the sight of God your Communion I deny for it is heathenish having proceeded out of the imagination of the proud your breaking of bread and drinking of the cup is abomination God never commanded it your singing is carnal traditional and heathenish and is not with the Spirit of Jesus but with the spirit of the world with the spirit of Cain with the spirit of the Scribes and Pharisees and chief priests you worship an unknown God be ashamed of all your profession and of all carnal Ordinances Pr. Pr. You may still see that this Quaker hath very mean thoughts of Gods Worship and Ordinances which all serious Christians do own as for Worship that 's carnal and so are Ordinances too in this Quakers account both the Worship of God and his Ordinances are nothing else but a mocking of God and dissembling with him as for baptizing with water this Quaker denies it as that which is not of God which is but an apish imitation and is an abomination in the sight of God as for the holy Communion this Quaker denies it also as that which is heathenish as that which hath procceded out of the imagination of the proud he saith moreover That breaking of bread and drinking of the cup is abomination that God did never command it as for singing of Psalms he saith that is carnal traditional heathenish that it is done only with the spirit of the world and with the spirit of Cain and with the spirit of the Scribes Pharisees and chief Priests he also saith that the Worship is of an unknown God like those idolaters at Athens In the last place this Quaker calls upon unquakerized Christians to be ashamed of their profession of the Christian Religion and of all Ordinances which he calls carnal Q. p. 21 22 23 24 25. Q. Num. 110 In which light I see all thy Teachers O England to be drunk with the wine of her who hath deceived the Nations who sits upon the scarlet-coloured beast and hath the golden cup in her hand full of abominations whose name is written in her forehead Mystery Babylon the Great the Mother of Harlots and abomination of the earth and in this light do I declare against all them which are in the generation of the false prophets of Israel which seeks for their gain from their quarter which steals the word from their neighbour and selleth the divination of their own brain upon the Scriptures to the poor blind people and teacheth for the fleece against all these I do declare to be no Ministers of Christ but are seducers and blind guides and are Antichrists and leads the poor blind people into the ways of death and destruction these have run but hath not been sent of God and therefore their souls are in the dark heathenish nature leaning in the imaginations and not in the counsel of the Lord and in lying swearing drunkenness covetousness and oppression and according to the course of this world these iniquities are ruling among people priests and rulers in the Nation from the least of them even to the greatest every one is given to covetousness from the prophet even to the priest every one deals falsly all your hirelings and greedy dumb dogs I do deny all thy Teachers O England is denied of them who are taught of God and by thy Teachers who are in the way of the Pharisees art thou blindly led in the ways of darkness and ignorance and all thy carnal worship which is to read sing and preach I deny and declare to be no worship of God the living God is but mocked by you in your imagined worship your reading and singing and preaching is carnal and heathenish no worship of the true God
this worship I do declare to be deceitful and abomination to the Lord which is but Cains sacrifice O England I do declare against all these thy Teachers and against this thy worship as from the mouth of the Lord all thy imagined formal worships and carnal traditions and ordinances is the Lord risen to declare against O people your Teachers hath beguiled you and fed themselves with the fat but your souls are hungred by them they love the wages of unrighteousness and follows the error of Balaam for reward and have devoured souls for dishonest gain the Lord is rising to require his flock at the hands of the idols shepherds O ye idol dumb shepherds you have scattered the sheep and have fed your selves with them ye shall no longer wear garments to deceive you have long deceived the simple by your lyes the mystery of witchcraft is not now hid O England thy prophets are treacherous persons thy Judges judges for reward thy priests preach for hire thy rulers are evening-wolves which seeks for the prey all thy corrupt judges and officers and rulers will the Lord cut off and he will avenge the cause of the poor that is oppressed by priests in their tythes by lawyers in their fees by officers in their unrighteous dealings the sword of the Lord is drawn in thee O Nation and put into the hands of them which is scornfully called Quakers and thy unjust rulers and officers cannot hurt them O Land depart from all thy teachers lest thou be partaker of their plagues Pr. Pr. In these virulent lines you have seen this brainsick Quaker blacking the Teachers Worship and Magistrates of England by raking in this dunghill no little filth will appear behold how the Teachers of England are aspersed foully by this quaking zealot to write his mind more plainly they are no better than the false Prophets of Israel covetous teachers who seek their gain from their quarter thieves who steal the word their preaching is but the divination of their own brain which they sell for money that their teaching is for the fleece that they are no Ministers of Jesus Christ what then are they this Quaker saith that they are seducers blind guides antichrists such as lead poor blind people into the ways of destruction that they are such as are not sent of God that the people do not profit under their Ministry for their souls are in the dark heathenish nature leaning as he saith in the imaginations to speak this Quakers mind they are very wicked teachers for these iniquities lying swearing drunkenness covetousness and oppression and living according to the course of this world do rule among the Priests from the Prophet to the Priest as he saith every one deals falsely in this Quakers account the teachers of England are no more but hirelings and greedy dumb dogs the Quakers who pretend to be taught of God do deny them all he saith that the teachers of England are in the way of the Pharisees who we know were accursed of Christ that they do blindly lead the people as the Pharisees did of old that as cheats use to do they have beguiled the people that like the false Prophets they have fed themselves with the fat but starved the peoples souls that like Balaam they have loved the wages of unrighteousness followed Balaams error for reward that they have devoured peoples souls for dishonest gain that they are the Idols shepherds yea Idol dumb shepherds that have scattered the sheep and fed themselves with them that they wear garments to deceive that they have long deceived the people by their lyes that they have a mystery of witchcraft that they are treacherous persons Priests preaching for hire that they are oppressors by whom the people are oppressed in their Tythes that they are dangerous teachers not fit to be heard for this Quaker saith O land depart from thy teachers lest thou be partaker of their plagues now let us see how the worship of God used in England is despised by this Quaker to come to particulars he names reading singing preaching all which do belong to Gods publick worship but what saith this Quaker of this worship take his own words he saith that this worship is carnal that it is no worship of God that it is an imagined worship by which the living God is mocked that our reading singing preaching is heathenish no true worship of God that this worship is deceitful and abomination to the Lord that it is Cains sacrifice that all this he doth declare from the mouth of the Lord which is an unparallel'd quaking boldness Now let us likewise see what this Quakers mind is touching the Magistrates of England he being of age shall speak for himself who saith thus That these iniquities to wit lying swearing drunkenness covetousness and oppression and living according to the course of this world do rule among the rulers in this Nation from the least of them even to the greatest every one is given to covetousness that the Judges of England he saith are Judges for reward that the rulers of England he saith are evening wolves who seek for the prey that they are those corrupt judges officers rulers whom the Lord will cut off that they are such officers as do oppress the people in their unrighteous dealings but now this Quaker saith that the sword of the Lord is drawn in England and put into the Quakers hands what 's meant by these words I do wholly leave it to the wisdom of the Magistrate to interpret though I have hitherto forgot it yet let it be remarked that by the false Light within this Quaker hath seen a lying vision for England which is this that all her teachers are drunk with the Whores cup of Babylon which is full of abominations I shall add no more but leave the serious Reader to abound in his own sense upon those quaking-words Thus I have done with this hot-headed Quakers Pamphlet THe next quaking-book to be briefly considered is called The warnings of the Lord to the men of this generation particularly to those in power who are lately passed away and to them that remain as they were given forth in sundry Letters and sent to Oliver Cromwell Richard his Son late Protectors c. whom for brevity I have omitted but may be seen in the Title-page by his Servant George Bishop who is moved of the Lord now to publish them London printed by M. Inman 1660. Pr. Pr. This quaking Pamphlet you may see was in this Quakers account of high value it 's vain-gloriously called the warnings of the Lord whereas no Quaker will confess that the Scripture is the Word of God this traytorly book is called The warnings of the Lord behold how this abettour of rebellion this publisher of high Treason George Bishop said that he was moved of the Lord now to publish them as if this lamentable scribble were the Lords immediate work Now let us pass on to the Book it self Q.
p. 1. Q. Num. 111 Friend in the fear of God hear and consider for it doth concern thee Pr. Pr. Behold how this Quaker writes to Oliver Cromwell not as an Usurper but as his friend how he calls upon his friend in the fear of God to hear and consider how much he was concerned for this Usurper as being his friend Q. p. 3. Q. Num. 112 Was it wont to be thus with thee did thy sword till of late ever return empty from the blood of the slain and the spoil of the mighty could the spirit that was risen up against the Lord in these three Nations stand before thee was ever any thing too hard for thee missedst thou in thy counsels at any time whatever thou didst put forth thine hand to do was it not brought to pass was not wisdom with thee and counsel as the oracles of God becamest thou not as the army of God at thy feet did not the proudest enemy fall down and bow didst not thou come upon Princes as upon mortar and as the potter treadeth the clay were not the hearts of honest men knit to thee as one man did they sigh at any time at the remembrance of thee was not the remembrance of thee to them sweet and pleasant as life from the dead as of him that removed the burthen from off the shoulder that delivered the poor from him that was too strong for him was it ever so with man in these latter generations as it was with thee whilst God was with thee whilst the Rock had not forsaken thee Pr. Pr. The drift of this Quaker in these lines was to magnifie Oliver Cromwell an Usurping Traytor as one whose sword took the spoil of the mighty before whom the spirit risen against the Lord in these three Nations could not stand as one for whom nothing was too hard as one whose counsels succeeded well as one with whom was wisdom and counsel as the oracles of God as one that became as the army of God as one at whose feet the proudest enemy quaere was not this King Charles the First fell down and bowed as one who came upon Princes as mortar and as the potter treadeth the clay quaere were not these Princes the Nobles of England Ireland and Scotland as one that had the hearts of honest men knit to him as one man quaere who were these honest men as one at whose remembrance honest men did not sigh as one whose remembrance was pleasant to those honest men as life from the dead as one with whom it was so in these latter generations as with no other man for as this Quaker saith God was with him as his Rock behold according to this Quaker how in the time of Oliver Cromwell's Rebellion high treason usurpation traytorous actings God was so with him as he never was with any man in these latter generations according to these quaking-lines a man may be a rebel a traytor a man in actual arms against the Kings Majesty his lawful Soveraign and yet be the best man in his generation one that hath Gods special presence with him and become as the army of God a man whom God his Rock doth not forsake where are those loyal Quakers that dare call these quaking-lines the movings of the Lord surely they are ashamed of this quaking brother in print and have much more cause to abandon the quaking spirit who leads themselves Q. p. 4. Q. Num. 113 Did not the Lord hear the groans of those who suffered because of their Consciences in the days of the Bishops pull'd he not up that generation in his anger swept he not away the powers that supported them in his sore displeasure though of many hundred years standing become he not terrible to the men of high stature brake he not in upon them with a furious blow of horrour and amazement did he not smite them with a wound incurable they and their King and their Nobles their mighty men of War their Captains and Counsellors their Priests and their Officers and their whole strength leaving their name an astonishment and a wonder and a curse unto posterity Pr. Pr. In these lines of this quaking Bishop we are told That the Lord did hear the groans of some that suffered because of their consciences in the days of the Bishops This is but a quaking-insinuation to make credulous fools believe that the late Bishops did persecute men for their consciences this was the old flabellum seditionis which this Quaker was fond of But mark how this Quaker saith that the Lord in anger did pull up like weeds that generation according to this misled Quaker the Lord is very angry with Bishops but that 's not all he tells us That the Lord swept away the powers that supported them in his sore displeasure To speak this Quakers mind more plainly The Lord was so angry with the King and Nobility that supported the Bishops as that in his sore displeasure he swept them like cobwebs or dirt away from the face of the earth Nay further he saith that the Lord became terrible to the men of high stature he broke in upon them with a furious blow of horror and amazement he smote them with an incurable wound But who were they that were thus afraid thus furiously dealt with thus incurably wounded This Quaker gives this account of them saying They and their King their Nobles their men of war their Captains their Councellors their Priests their Officers their whole strength according to this Quakers mind the men of high stature were the Bishops but what became of them their King their Nobles their Men of war their Captains their Councellors their Priests their Officers their whole strength This Quaker saith basely of them to this purpose That the Lord in his anger left their name an astonishment and a wonder and a curse to posterity according to the plain meaning of this Quakers words to name no more the late King Charles the first of blessed memory was smitten with an incurable wound and his name is left in this Quakers account for an astonishment and for a wonder and for a curse unto posterity Let all wise men judg how this rebel and traiterous Quaker was moved of the Lord to write as he hath done Q. p. 4 5. Q. Num. 114 Wast not thou the man who didst bear as on a common shoulder the sufferings of the oppressed for conscience sake who with thee were appointed to the same destruction Went not then every such suffering to thine own heart Felt not thou every one of them on thine own shoulder Couldst not thou have laid down thy life for one of them How tender was then thine heart How sounding thy bowels Flowed not in the hearts of them all to thee In them and thee was there not one spirit and one heart For this cause did not the Lord call thee and raise thee up to head his Armies Made he thee not his Sword Did he not by
thee execute his vengeance on those generations Pr. Pr. In these lines you may behold this Quaker crying up Oliver Cromwel as being not unlike the man Christ Jesus for he saith that Oliver Cromwel was the man who did bear as upon a common shoulder the sufferings of the oppressed but what tender consciences many of them had it hath been better understood since that time their tender consciences had no feeling of Rebellion Treason and other mens estates To go on with this Quakers comparing tacitely Oliver Cromwel and Christ together he saith that their sufferings went to his heart that he felt their sufferings on his shoulder that he could have laid down his life for one of them that his heart was tender that his bowels did sound that the hearts of his sufferers flowed in to him that in them and him there was but one spirit and one heart but in all the time of his Rebellion and High-treason whose servant whose instrument was whose work did Oliver Cromwel Behold what this Quaker saith of him the Lord did call and raise him up to head his Armies he made him his Sword and the Lord did execute by this Oliver Cromwell his vengeance on those generations Doth not this Quaker plainly tell us that the Rebel-Army under Cromwells command was Gods Army that called and raised this Traytor to be the head of his Army that God made Cromwell his Sword that God by Cromwell did execute vengeance onthose generations who these generations were the Reader must judg Q. p. 9 10. Q. Num. 115 Charles Stuart could have put off from himself the sufferings of the Puritans upon the Bishops and have alledged that they were a nonconformable factious generation and did contrary to the Law but that could not excuse him nor his standing still whilst he had power to remedy it but did not nor that those Laws were of long standing nor the disaffection of great men and nobles and rulers and bishops and priests and the generality of the Nation to that way from the judgment of God which hath taken hold on him and his children and his party whom he hath made a dreadful example of his vengeance and that by thy Sword as an instrument Pr. Pr. These lines of this quaking Bishop are abominable not to point at every base passage in them this is plainly the mind of this wild inspirado that the judgment of God to use his own words hath taken hold on Charles Stuart and his Children and his party that the Lord hath made the King his Children his party a dreadful example of his vengeance and that Oliver Cromwell's sword was the Lords instrument of this judgment and of the vengeance executed on the late King and his Children and his party that I may not be looked upon as a bloody Priest I shall squeeze these lines no further only let me say without offence that no man of any common sense dare justifie what this Quaker hath written to be the moving of Gods spirit without question these are such traytorous lines as were never seen in print from the eternal God before Q. p. 14. Q. Num. 116 Who wa st the Lords battel-axe and weapon of war to the cutting dovvn of him Pr. Pr. This traytorly Quaker goes on still to tell Oliver Cromwell that he was once the Lords battel-axe his weapon of war to the cutting down of the King behold how this Quaker in print doth justifie the basest of murthers as if it had been the Lords doing by Cromwell as his battel-axe as the Lords weapon of war for this bloody work Thus I have done with this Quakers Letter to Oliver Cromwell which was dated from Bristol the 16 of the fifth Month 1656. Subscribed thus George Bishop Surely this lamentable Quaker was strongly huffed up by his rebellious and traytorous spirit when he took himself to be moved of the Lord to publish them again in the year 1660 he that desires to know more of this Quakers pretended warnings of the Lord or to see how a Quakers light within him can act the part of disloyalty rebellion and high Treason against the Kings Sacred Majesty may peruse this quaking-Pamphlet more at large THE next book which might be transcribed is called A comparison between the true and false Ministers by Nicholas Knight printed 1675. Pr. By the late Impression of this Quakers scribble it 's evident against which Ministers this quaking-author writes that they are the Ministers of the Church of England that are the false Ministers here meant to ease my Readers patience and consult my own ease I shall contract his whole book thus Q. p. 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13. Q. Num. 117 Pr. Pr. In this quaking-book the false Ministers of England are thus described They are false Teachers who go and are not sent they go forth in their own names without any commission from God only in the will of man they call themselves the Ministers of Christ but are not their doctrine is false and traditional it 's not from heaven but men below they do teach for doctrine the traditions of men they are the false Teachers they preach a divination of their own brains they come not in at the door they climb up another way they speak in the wisdom of mens words they are men-pleasers by inticing and feigned words they are deceivers seekers of their own praise they seek more the fleece than the flock they preach for hire and divine for money they expect gain from their quarters like the Scribes and Pharisees they make long prayers and under that pretence devour widows houses such as say and do not they limit the Church of Christ to a Nation they are blind leaders of the blind and both fall into the ditch they hold the truth in hypocrisie and unrighteousness they take the words of God into their mouths when they hate to be reformed they have a form of godliness and deny the power they are deceivers and being deceived cause the Name of God to be blasphemed and evil spoken of they observe months and days and consecrated places their preaching is limited to days hours and hour-glasses and to the wills of men to outward observations traditions and ceremonies by their fruits these trees may be known out of the evil treasure of their hearts they bring forth evil things they are an ill savour clouds that hold no water they are sounding-brass and tinkling cymbals they do not profit the people at all being weighed they are still found too light they do neither believe nor understand what they preach they have no experience of the word of life like those silly women they are always learning but never able to come to the knowledg of the truth they flee the cross they are not willing to forsake all for Christ they chuse rather to be subject to the corrupt laws and wills of men than to obey Christ in denying themselves they lay heavy burthens on mens
account that the Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance or any other Oaths injoyned by any Authority on earth are altogether unlawful because Christ hath commanded not to swear at all that no swearing is warranted by the Scripture that the dispensation of Oaths where strife was is ended by Christ who saith Swear not at all that vain Oaths and solemn Oaths are both alike forbidden by Christ See Numb 51. ARTICLE XXXIV We Q. do believe That all Holy-days are set up in the Apostacy that there is no observation of particular days that in calling the first day of the week the Lords-day or Sabbath-day people speak they know not what that the name Sunday is heathenish that every day is the Lords-day See Numb 52. ARTICLE XXXV We Q. do believe as our dear friend James Parnel hath written that they are no truly faithful Christians who do deny that there is a perfect freedom from all manner of sin to be had in this life that their faith is not the true faith if it doth not cleanse them from all their sins See Numb 53. ARTICLE XXXVI We Q. do believe That the Scripture is not the Light nor the Word nor the Life nor the Judg nor the Rule nor the Guide nor the tryer of spirits See Numb 54. ARTICLE XXXVII We Q. do believe That the people and teachers are ignorant of Christ the Light that they dote on the Scripture with their dark minds that they do like the blind Pharisees seek life in the Scripture where it is not to be found See Numb 55. ARTICLE XXXVIII We Q. do believe as our beloved James Parnel saith That the Scripture is a dead letter See Numb 56. ARTICLE XXXIX We Q. do believe That the Priests of England are the peoples leaders who cause them to err that the Scripture is their Idol to get money by that by the Scripture they do lead the people into blindness that they do in vain worship a God whom they know not that they do dethrone Christ Jesus by exalting the Scripture See Numb 57. ARTICLE XL. We Q. do still believe That the Scripture is not the Word of God nor the Light nor the Rule nor the Guide nor the Teacher nor Judg concerning matters of faith and life See Numb 58. ARTICLE XLI We Q. do believe That the Priests of England do maintain the authority of the Scripture which is their Idol only for their own ends to uphold their corrupt maintenance and deceitful Ministry See Num b. 59. ARTICLE XLII We Q. do believe That the Priests of England have nothing but the Scripture without which is a dead letter that they are without the true Light that all those are in darkness and confusion who call the Scripture their Rule and Guide and that the Priests of England are like them and that they know not the truth See Numb 60. ARTICLE XLIII We Q. do believe That they bring another Gospel into the world who call the four books Matthew Mark Luke and John the Gospel See Numb 61. ARTICLE XLIV We Q. do believe That it is a false light in any which leads them to profess the Scripture to be their Rule who do not live well See Numb 62. ARTICLE XLV We Q. do believe That all that are called Lords Ladies Knights Gentlemen and Gentlewomen Master Mistress Madam are all accursed of God and shall be cast into hell and that they are no better nor shall fare better than Lucifer Dives Haman Pharaoh Herod and the rest of their forefathers See Numb 63. ARTICLE XLVI We Q. do likewise believe That all who are called Lords Ladies Knights Gentlemen and Gentlewomen Master Mistress Madam are all very wicked that they do only make a profession of godliness that their worship is formal and imaginary that their Chaplains are wicked like themselves that they are like the worshippers of the golden Calf that they and their Chaplains are Heathens that Priest and people do live without God in the world that they are all accursed of God that their works are the works of the Devil that they serve the Devil with their hearts and actions that they are no Christians but Heathens both Priest and people See Numb 64. ARTICLE XLVII We Q. do believe still That all Lords Ladies Knights Gentlemen and Gentlewomen Master Mistress Madam young and old rich and poor and beggars men-servants and women-servants who are no Quakers are the children of the Devil fruitless trees that cumber the ground which are for the fire stubble to be burnt unrighteous persons to be cast into the lake which burns with fire and brimstone that thither they must go that there they must lye for evermore with Dives and Haman that they are all as bad as Dives Haman and the High-Priests Pharisees and Rulers were who put Christ to death that their belly is their god that they and all their earthly honour shall be laid into the fire See Numb 65. ARTICLE XLVIII We Q. do believe That the Priests of England are like Jannes and Jambres who withstood Moses that they do likewise withstand the truth that they are University-men with their Magick Arts and Imaginations that they do get a form of the Prophets Christs and Apostles words to trade with that they do deny the power of godliness that they are Traytors to Christ men of corrupt minds reprobates concerning the faith See Numb 66. ARTICLE XLIX We Q. do believe still That the Scripture is a dead letter that it is the husk which is usually thrown away that they are Swine feeding on husks who make the Scripture their Rule and Guide that he is a deceiver one that erreth that knoweth not the Scripture who saith the Scripture is the word of God that he puts the shadow for the substance who takes the Scripture to be the word of God that that man is without that he is a swine feeding on the husk that he is ignorant of the true light who saith that the Scripture is the rule and guide of the people of God See Numb 67. ARTICLE L. We Q. do believe That there is no other baptism but the baptism of Christ with the Holy Ghost and with fire that baptism with water is but a formal imitation and the invention of man that it is a meer delusion and that they are all heathens and no Christians who are so baptized and cannot witness the other baptism See Numb 70. ARTICLE LI. We Q. do believe That there is no such thing as Sacramental bread that it is only the bread which the world breaks that it is carnal and natural that the cup is such like that there is no such thing as the holy Communion for it is the communion of the world that communion which is natural outward carnal that that which is called the Lords-table is the table of devils that in receiving that which they call the Lords-supper they do feed upon the husk and shadow See Numb 71. ARTICLE LII We Q. do believe That the